Night Terrors
by bookwormgirlLH
Summary: Captain Miller has always tried to keep his fear and painful memeoires from his men, but how can he when those memories manifest themselves as night terrors for the whole squad to hear?


An abandoned, leaking, damp, derelict building really wasn't the ideal place to spend the night, but to Captain Miller and his seven, tired men, it was practically like staying in the White House, or even Buckingham Palace in England, and they leapt at the chance to get out of the rain. Darkness was already beginning to fall, so the eight weary men pulled out their sleeping gear, getting ready to sleep.

"Is this it?" Private Reiben said, unimpressed, staring at a single blanket, a ground sheet and a thin sleeping bag. "We'll freeze to death."

"That's actually a common misconception." Wade, the group's only medic, added. "For a person to freeze to death, they have to be exposed to very low temperatures for a-"

"Cut the medical bullshit, Doc." Reiben moaned, but he carried on sorting his bag out in silence. Glancing towards Captain Miller, Reiben looked satisfied to find he had no more blankets than any of the privates.

The silence was broken by Captain Miller yawning so loudly his jaw clicked, making several of the others laugh.

"Tired, by any chance Cap'n?" Private Mellish asked, more than just a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Shattered." The Captain admitted, now rubbing his eyes, the action making him look so much younger.

Noting the fact the Captain appeared to be in a good mood, Private Jackson said, "I think its time for you to go to beddie-bies, dearie." as though he was a mother, and the Captain was his child.

To everyone's surprise and amusement, the Captain played along, "But Mommy, I'm not even tried. Can't I stay up just a little bit longer?" There was brilliant whining tinge to his voice, making him sound exactly like a little kid. Reiben snorted as he failed to suppress his laughter. "And I'm not going unless Mikey goes up too, 'cause I'm older than him and I should get a later bedtime than him." Sergeant Horvath collapsed into hysterical giggles as the Captain used his first name, toppling sideways into Mellish, who was crying with laughter.

As the Captain gave another involuntary yawn Jackson forced a fake stern look onto his face, tutting at Captain Miller, hands on his hips, causing Private Caparzo, Wade and Corporal Upham to give into the laughter too.

"No buts, Johnny," Jackson dared to use the Captain's first name, but didn't get told off for it; the Captain just continued to act, pouting like a grumpy five year old. "It's time for bed for all of you - you look really tired and Ade, Danny, Mikey, Timmy, Stanley and Irwin," He nodded at each man in turn, "You're way too over excited."

All of the men moaning, but still laughing, they all pulled off their bags and helmets and burrowed into their sleeping bags, huddling together for warmth. Jackson, still playing mother, sat up on the first watch, betting with himself who was going to fall asleep first to try and stave off his own fatigue. He correctly predicted that Mellish would drop off first, for it only took a few seconds for the Private's eyes to close, quickly followed by Caparzo. They, along with Reiben were sleeping furthest from the door, in the least draughty part of the room, and Jackson, sat in such a place that he was battered by the wind, longed to join them. Feeling himself getting sleepy again, Jackson shook his head firmly and turned away from his lucky friends, now focusing on Upham, who was snoring softly next to Wade, the only man who ever layed near him, who had buried his face into his bag to block out the moonlight. To Wade's left, Horvath was curled up in the foetal position, facing Captain Miller, the last person to fall asleep.

Looking closer, Jackson saw that the Captain's face lacked the usual peaceful expression one has when asleep; instead, his jaw was clenched, his eyebrows were knitted together, and his eyelids were flickering strangely. A low moan emanated from Captain Miller's throat, the tight muscles in his face twitching, whilst his right hand, not inside the sleeping bag, began to tremble. _What was the Captain doing?_ Jackson wondered. _Was he having a nightmare?_ Head beginning to thrash from side to side on is pillow, the Captain's limbs started jerking, seemingly fighting attackers that only he could see.

"No!" Captain Miller suddenly cried, making Jackson jump, and Wade, a very light sleeper, look up in shock. "Don't...hurt - leave him please!" His voice full of terror, the Captain tried to lash out at someone, hand going into spasm crazily.

"What the..." Wade turned to Jackson, rubbing the sleep out of his half closed eyes. Jackson made his way over to the medic, wondering if he knew what was going on. Watching the Captain mumble incoherently and occasionally crying out, Wade came to the same conclusion as Jackson, "I think he's having a nightmare." He whispered.

"Stop!... Not...He's only following orders!" The Captain continued to cry pleadingly, face contorting in fear.

Wade crept towards him, and reached out to shake the Captain's arm. "Captain?" He said cautiously.

But the moment Wade's hand made contact with the Captain's arm, he screamed and flinched away from him, "Please! Don't hurt...please."

Sarge awoke, and seemed to guess the situation instantly. "Let me try, Wade." He said to the medic, who was struggling to watch the Captain suffer. "Captain Miller." He hissed, shaking the Captain's shoulders, but all this achieved was the Captain lashing out at him, and screaming even louder, sounding utterly petrified.

By now, everyone in the derelict building was sitting up, watching their Captain writhe on the floor, eyes closed, but limbs flailing wildly.

"I didn't want him to die... 't was an accident!" The Captain yelled, his voice cracking, a few tears seeping out from under his closed eyelids.

Clearly desperate, Jackson hurried over to the three men in the corner, frantically asking them if they knew anything about the sort of nightmares plaguing the still sleeping Captain, whilst Upham covered his ears, unable to listen to the gut wrenching screams now filling the room.

"Please, Sir, wake up." Sarge muttered, suddenly slapping Captain Miller hard across the face. Panting, the Captain jerked awake, his whole body trembling, and broke down.

Wade, being the closest to the Captain, attempted to comfort him, rubbing his back soothingly. "It's alright, Sir, it was just a nightmare."

Slowly, as though it was extremely difficult for him, Captain Miller sniffed heavily, rubbing his eyes fiercely, struggling to slow his jagged breathing. "I'm sorry." Was all he said.

"What for, Sir?" Wade asked, surprised that the Captain was still letting him rub his back. He watched the Captain's trembling hand, which Captain Miller was making no attempt to control.

Wriggling out of his sleeping bag, Captain Miller stood up, inhaling deeply, now clenching his right hand and successfully stopping its spasms. Turing to his men, he couldn't believe how much sympathy was in their faces. _I'm the Captain,_ he thought,_ I'm meant to stay in control. They must think I'm a coward._ "I'll take the next watch. Now, all of you, get some sleep - that's an order."

None of them looking like they wanted to leave him alone, but, one by one, each of Captain Miller's men went back to bed, soon falling asleep. Wade kept his eyes on the Captain's tear stained face until he finally gave into his fatigue, dropping off too.

Captain Miller sat with his back against a damp wall, watching his men sleep, wondering what they must have thought of him, but never once blocking out the images of war that had taunted him in his dreams, which made his hand shake again - and defiantly not for the last time.


End file.
